ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nyjer Morgan used his speed to get two key infield hits early in the game. His
rare long ball provided an important late run.
Morgan and Michael Bourn both drove in two runs, Josh Tomlin won his second straight start and the
Cleveland Indians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5 on Sunday.
“He always plays with energy,” Indians manager Terry Francona said about Morgan. “We were looking for a
way to get him in there today and I’m glad we did.”
Morgan had an RBI infield single that rolled to a stop near the line between home and third before Bourn
hit a two-run double as the Indians took a 3-1 lead in the second. Morgan also hit his first major
league homer since July 30, 2012, an eighth-inning solo shot that made it 6-2.
“I had to get something out of the infield today,” a smiling Morgan said.
Tomlin (2-0), who pitched just once in the big leagues last season after right elbow surgery in 2012,
allowed two runs and six hits over six innings in his second outing this year.
“The guys made the plays in the outfield and the infield, and that’s the reason I won a game,” Tomlin
said.
Cleveland took two of three in the series after entering with a seven-game road skid.
“This is a tough place to play,” Francona said. “Finding a way to beat them here is great. I’ve sat in
this chair too many times and been miserable.”
Matt Joyce homered and had two RBIs for the Rays, who went 1-5 on their homestand. Chris Archer (2-2)
gave up four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.
“I think very simply put, we’re not playing the caliber of baseball right now that is a winning caliber
of baseball,” Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said.
A three-run eighth pulled the Rays to 6-5.
Ben Zobrist scored the first run in the inning when reliever Marc Rzepczynski made an errant throw to
second on what could have been an inning-ending double play. Cody Allen allowed Wil Myers’ RBI single
and hit Desmond Jennings with a pitch to load the bases. Yunel Escobar hit a sacrifice fly.
“I had plenty of time. … I rushed it,” Rzepczynski said. “When I get those, I get super excited. Throw
better sinkers to second than I do home sometimes.”
Bryan Shaw pitched a perfect ninth in place of demoted closer John Axford for his second save.
Yan Gomes hit a leadoff homer that chased Archer during a two-run sixth that gave Cleveland a 5-2
advantage. Morgan reached on a bunt single off Brad Boxberger when a call was overturned on replay.
Morgan advanced on a balk and wild pitch, then scored the inning’s second run on Mike Aviles’ sacrifice
fly.
Joyce hit a first-inning solo homer off Tomlin. Joyce, who is 6 for 12 with two homers against the
right-hander, had an RBI single in the fourth.
Cleveland threatened in the first but Michael Brantley was thrown out trying to score on Carlos Santana’s
two-out double.
Santana went 2 for 3 with two walks and increased his batting average 12 points to .148. Brantley
extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a third-inning single.
NOTES: Francona tweaked his rotation for a three-game series at Toronto. RHP Danny Salazar (1-3) had his
start pushed back to Thursday from Tuesday so that RHP Justin Masterson (2-1) and RHP Corey Kluber (3-3)
can pitch Tuesday and Wednesday on normal rest. … Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (arthroscopic right
elbow surgery) hopes to resume throwing curveballs during bullpen sessions in a week. … Indians 1B
Nick Swisher was given the option by Francona to have a day off and took it. … Rays LHP Cesar Ramos
(1-1) and Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (3-1) are Monday night’s scheduled starters in Seattle. … With
the Rays’ road trip theme being “Woodstock,” manager Joe Maddon looked the part from the 1969 concert,
wearing a long-hair wig, sun glasses and tie-dye shirt.